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USA Today via Reuters

USA Today via Reuters

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  Debate

Debate

Can Kyle Busch's dirt track adventures reignite his NASCAR career and bring back the 'Rowdy' we love?

The record is set at 19. Kyle Busch has led a fantastic career, picking up 63 Cup Series wins in the NASCAR Cup Series. However, his trophy hunt screeched to an end this year due to several near-misses. Imagine if Busch was victorious in a thrilling Atlanta photo finish—where instead Daniel Suarez outdueled him by a mere 0.007 seconds? Then maybe the scenario changes a little bit at Daytona so that Harrison Burton is behind Busch instead of ahead by a scant 0.047-second margin?

All this is fanciful thinking, as the season is over and the past cannot be changed. However, Busch can mold the future to suit his needs. So after finishing 20th in points in the Cup Series, the Richard Childress Racing driver is ready to forget his misfortune. Busch is rolling up his sleeves for a ‘dirty’ in the off-season.

Kyle Busch is eager for a clean slate

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In a discussion with reporters in June at Iowa Speedway, Kyle Busch revealed why a 57-race winless streak struck him so later in his career. A lack of practice time in the Next-Gen car has hurt his ability to “dissect and dive into the car.” As a result, he searches for a feel he deems necessary to compete rather than finding speed immediately. Nevertheless, now that the season is over, Busch will seek out that feel in another series—the 39th Chili Bowl Nationals. He will drive the No. 51 Lucas Oil/FloRacing Midget for a historic debut in January. Busch will also appear during the USAC National Midget events at Bakersfield Speedway (November 26) and Ventura Raceway (November 30).

In addition, Kyle Busch revealed that he would be driving alongside his son Brexton. The father-son duo will compete together at the Tulsa Shootout (December 31-January 4). So the two-time Cup Series champion is excited about this new endeavor.

Busch said in an interview: “The Cup season may be over, but the racing season is still in full swing with the biggest events on dirt taking place over the next couple of months. The Chili Bowl is a legendary event and has always been on my wish list. To be able to compete there, and then alongside my son Brexton at the Tulsa Shootout, is making this year one to remember.”

USA Today via Reuters

Kyle Busch has conquered a plethora of racetracks in NASCAR. His 231 race-winning streak across all three NASCAR’s national series rivals even Richard Petty’s Cup win tally. Now the veteran is ready to challenge more than 300 drivers to prove his mettle at the so-called ‘Super Bowl of Midget Racing.’ Busch is continuing a 30-year legacy of top-tier talent appearing at the race. Other stellar NASCAR drivers like Tony Stewart, Kyle Larson, and Christopher Bell have been frequent visitors. With his family by his side, Busch is sure to get a boost for this project.

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Can Kyle Busch's dirt track adventures reignite his NASCAR career and bring back the 'Rowdy' we love?

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And it is not the first time the father-son team has driven together in Legends cars.

Both Buschs root for each other

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Brexton Busch is a winner, just like his dad. By the end of this year, he has collected over 30 wins at 11 different tracks across Outlaw Karts, Bandoleros, Jr. Sprints, and the like. Yet he harnesses this strength from his hero, Kyle Busch. The latter rose to prominence driving Legends races before transitioning to Late Models and then NASCAR. During the 2023 Tulsa Shootout, Busch told the press that he put his son on dirt tracks because of the car control skills they teach. Although he snuffed out any 2024 Chili Bowl plans, the Cup Series legend enrolled himself for Tulsa alongside Brexton. Learning the nuances of open-wheel dirt cars together, Busch could accurately point out Brexton’s lapses and areas of improvement.

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In 2023, Busch heaped praise on his son for adapting quickly. “Definitely; that’s a piece of it. He had really good car control in practice and looked like a professional. Today, we just couldn’t get (him) to the bottom. We’ll work on it and make it better for him.” He added that some things will get better with age. “Overall, the craft and the class you get in running different things on dirt, gives you different feelings and driving styles, and we mix in the pavement too with his Bandolero but not old enough for the Legends. We’ll go there when he’s old enough.” Now a year older at 8, Brexton may make his dad even more proud at this year’s Tulsa Shootout.

The Chili Bowl Nationals outing may offer Kyle Busch the fresh air he needs. After his January debut, Busch may be rejuvenated enough to offer us a ‘Rowdy’ experience for 2025!

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